(WHDH) — The parents of two young children are facing a slew of criminal charges after investigators say they knowingly caused serious injury to their kids by starving them for nearly two years.
Mena Kamel, 33, and Marina Zaki, 28, both of Oregon, are slated to be arraigned Wednesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court on charges including four counts of first-degree assault and 14 counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, according to Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt.
The alleged starvation and malnourishment of the children, both of whom are under the age of six, happened between Sept. 1, 2018, and June 27, 2020, Schmidt said.
Authorities reportedly launched an investigation in late June when one of the children suffered a critical injury that prompted a law enforcement and medical response to a home in Gresham.
Hospital staff were the first to discover the extent of the starvation and malnourishment, according to Schmidt. Both children are still receiving medical attention to restore their health.
Kamel and Zaki were taken into custody on Tuesday.
There was no additional information immediately available.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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